ASPEN — Projected December lodging occupancy in Aspen was down 16.5 percent going into the month, but reaction to last weekend’s snowstorm has whittled that number down. More snow in this weekend’s forecast is just icing on the cake, one local hotelier said.

Aspen Mountain came up tops in the state among ski resorts open for business when it reported 15 inches of overnight snow on Sunday morning. The bounty did not go unnoticed.

“This past Monday was our busiest day in terms of incoming calls here at Stay Aspen Snowmass since the Thursday before Food and Wine, June 14,” said Bill Tomcich, president of the reservations agency. “Obviously, the snow is good for business and good for call volume.”

The agency has seen some big bookings in the past few days, he added, including a $25,000 reservation for five nights in March.

The phones started ringing at individual lodging properties, as well.

“Call volume was definitely up,” said Charlie Case, innkeeper at Aspen’s Annabelle Inn, though he added, “I didn’t sell out New Year’s week or anything.”

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